Bond 22 Casting Update

With Bond 22 gearing up for production next month, two actors have gone on the record about their participation -- or lack thereof -- in the sequel to last year's 007 franchise reboot, Casino Royale.

Actor Joaquin Cosío informed the Mexican newspaper El Diario that he will play one of the villains in the Marc Forster-directed film. Cosio revealed, "There are various enemies, and I'm one of them. I'm General Medrano, Bond's enemy in Latin America, but there are other enemies waiting in Europe for Bond."

Cosio didn't know when his scenes would be shot, but he revealed that he is expected to film in London, Panama and Bolivia. CommanderBond.net reports that Anatole Taubman, who was also recently cast as a secondary villain in Bond 22, will also be among the cast members filming in Bolivia.

Meanwhile, MI6.co.uk points out that British actor Tobias Menzies, who played "Villiers" in Casino Royale, will not be reprising his role as M's right-hand man in Bond 22. In a posting at his MySpace blog, Menzies wrote, "Sad news for all Villiers fans, he is no more! Casino Royale was his first and last stand. May he rest in peace."